


still your presence lingers

by pumpkinpickles



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Ghosts, M/M, Medium AU, also pairing tags will be added as we go, gosh idk what im doing rly, honestly miyagi has a whole bunch of crazy problems themselves, mentions of anxiety for kenma!, miyagi volleys are constantly a source of gossip, more tags will be added as the story goes along!!, slight mentions of them but nothing in depth!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-11
Updated: 2015-12-02
Packaged: 2018-04-03 23:04:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4117996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pumpkinpickles/pseuds/pumpkinpickles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kenma leads a perfectly okay life, even with the monkey  wrench that is his ability to see and speak to ghosts thrown into it. He doesn't ask for much - maybe just for Lev to stop singing at night and bringing ghost cats home. In between time that's steadily running out, his job(that mostly involves having tea with Akaashi and warning ghosts for him on humans' needs to disturb the dead) and an exorcist with a terrible bedhead that tells Kenma he should be asking for more, Kenma just really wants a nap. At this point, he isn't sure where the drama is supposed to be centered at anymore: Miyagi or his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In which Kenma goes out on a date with the man who tried to exorcise his best friend

**Author's Note:**

> for the record ive never ever written a proper multichap fic before and im literally sweating up a storm just posting this...!!! i still cant believe im actually going to try and attempt this honestly. some parts may get kinda awkward in terms of writing, mainly because im trying a lot of different things and tweaked my writing style quite a bit for a multichap so uh i cant really promise the same quality from my oneshots ahah;;; still, i really hope ill finish this fic instead of leaving it unfinished and forgotten like an old, ancient multichap fic i once wrote /laughs weakly/
> 
> there'll be mentions of gore and horror later in the fic(ill mention it again before the chapter itll be in) as well as mentions of anxiety for kenma(in case you missed the tag!). ill be playing around with the whole exorcism-medium-magic theme as a whole, so not everything will be accurate(i researched some stuff too but if you want to chip in on knowledge ill be more than happy to accept!). 
> 
> i hope you'll enjoy the fic! ovo;;

 

Kozume Kenma is a good person. He does good deeds. He helps his elderly neighbour water her plants when she forgets. He holds the doors for anyone rushing towards the elevator, makes sure to say “you’re welcome”, then shrink into the corner to not take up too much of the person’s space. He visits his parents once a week, despite being a fully grown adult. He always, always follows superstitions and never ever stays out too late.

 

Kenma likes to believe he’s a good person by default, even with his uncanny ability to see ghosts, no matter what the naysayers and his mother says.

 

Honestly, he thinks anyone could be considered a good person if on top of their supernatural abilities, they also housed a ghost, especially one that was constantly scaring cats and sang opera songs at the top of his lungs at midnight.

 

“Hey Kenma, I think we’re being followed.”

 

So why on godforsaken earth, was he being followed by someone who looked like he hadn’t washed himself in days and had the worst fashion taste in the century.

 

“Stop staring Lev, he may feel it.” Kenma mutters, furiously tapping away at the game on his phone.

 

“I don’t _really_ -” Lev yelps, spins a whole round in the air, and grips the sleeve of Kenma’s jacket. Kenma knows from the way his sleeve is being pulled that Lev has turned back to stare at the stranger again. The stranger who wasn’t very good at dressing himself. The stranger whose mum let him out the house with a rooster-like bedhead, a hoodie, khaki shorts with palm tree print and flipflops. Lev was very enthusiastic at narrating how badly the stranger was dressed until he realised he could see him.  
  
Lev whips around, presses his mouth to Kenma’s ear, cupping it with a hand.

 

“Kenma, I don’t really think it _matters_.”

 

The very fact that Haiba Lev, noisiest ghost in all of existence who will not stop hollering at the top of his lungs about a stranger’s poor dress code even in the crowded streets that they were currently in the middle of, is suddenly whispering, makes Kenma’s fingers go rigid around his phone, the action so abrupt his entire form gives a little shake.

 

“Kenma, I think he can see me. He’s giving me some smile, oh my god Kenma I think he’s going to kill me and sell you because he knows you can see me too and he knows he can makes quick cash off selling a medium and Kenma he’s smiling he’s smiling and it’s as horrifying as his hoodie-flipflops matchup Kenma what do we do?”

 

By then, Lev’s voice had grown into a downplayed version of a pathetic wail. Kenma glances backwards, accidentally making eye contact with their stalker, whose smile widens, a sliver of teeth showing. Kenma whips his head forward, eyes hardening at the threat the smile suggests.

 

“First of all, he can’t kill you, you’re dead. Second of all, we’re losing him in this crowd.” Kenma shuts off his game, gently tugging the arm in the sleeve Lev seems determined to hang on for dear life to to motion for Lev to follow.  
  
“Hold on.” Kenma commands, voice like steel. “Don’t lose me in the crowd.”

 

It’d be hard maneuvering through the crowd with an anxious Lev clutching onto the back of his jacket, but Kenma has had to deal with worse before.  
  
He turns left at a lady who pushes past with a stroller, opens a new message to tap out a quick text to Akaashi - ‘if you never see me again i was probably killed by an unkempt hobo who can see lev, find my ghost for more info’ - turns right then right again, past the bakery, yanks Lev back before he decides to follow the warm wafting smell of fresh bread, ducks past the florist’s elaborate bouquets and speedily walks by another few thousand stores.

  
By then, he’s finished the impromptu will to Akaashi, pocketed his phone and found himself at a near-deserted park - hardly anyone ever goes there anymore, the construction nearby is too noisy, the flower fields have all withered and been overtaken by rampant weeds, and there’s been rumours of a dead body being found there not more than once.

 

Rumours that Kenma knows for a fact are true.  
  
Maybe this wasn’t the best place to go to, what with the nauseating thoughts of the dead that fill Kenma’s head the moment he steps into the park, but it sure as hell is the safest when confronting another possible medium.

 

Ghosts here owed Kenma for one thing or another - for finding their loved ones and passing on a message, feeding their pets then subsequently finding them a new home, the like - and memory of their debts and their gratitude to Kenma were bound to lend some help, hopefully.

  
Lev is muttering under his breath about all the things he’ll do to their mysterious stalker, but underneath that bravado facade as fragile as glass that Kenma sees through just as easily, Kenma senses the taller boy’s fear from the way his form shakes as he insists on stand-floating beside Kenma instead of his typical need to lounge about in the air like a cat. Kenma doesn’t miss the way Lev tries to put himself just so slightly in front of himself either, the way he tries to hide him out of sight and out of mind painfully obvious from the huge smile he gives Kenma and shaky voice going, “Good thing you’re small enough to hide behind me, huh?”

 

He’s frightened, and for good reason. No one has been able to see him but Kenma and Akaashi, no one but mediums and other ghosts should. And as far as things have been established, Kenma and Akaashi are the only mediums around here, though the latter is much, much more open about his abilities than the former, much to his chagrin.

 

The train of thought is broken when the man steps inside the clearing that Kenma and Lev have ran to. An instant chill runs down Kenma’s spine; the entire atmosphere of the clearing has changed. No longer do things feel dead and dare he say, peaceful, but rather, restless and _alive_. Energy seems to crackle with every step the man takes, and Kenma flinches in rhythm to his steps.

 

Said stranger takes one look around the place, as if soaking in the atmosphere, the eerie death that surrounds the park combined with the thundering noise of drills and machinery, and _grins_.  
  
“Nice choice of a grave, ghostboy”  
  
The words seem to spark something in Lev, who pulls himself up to stand at his full height, lanky fingers curling into tight fists by his side. In the moment, as Lev towers above the mysterious man, moving forward to push Kenma further back, it feels as though Lev has an actual presence in the park, isn’t just another ghostly apparition wandering aimlessly through the physical plane he no longer belonged in.

 

Lev glares at the man, stopping right in front of Kenma, whose soft noises of protest are hushed with a rough ruffle of hair. Shoving his hands in his pockets, Lev smiles back, with just as much teeth and malice.  
  
“Talking about yourself?”  
  
The man laughs, low and husky, raises a brow at Lev’s challenge. His lax attitude towards the whole situation unfolding before him makes the curl of worry in Kenma’s stomach grow. Kenma reaches out, hand trembling from the overwhelming negativity the ghosts are bringing him or his anxiety acting up he doesn’t know but what he does is that this man is here to bring trouble and they need to _get out_.

 

But of course, Lev, being stupidly courageous Lev, doesn’t respond to Kenma’s shirt pulling at all.

 

“Lev -”

 

Then, with a deliberate slow move of arm from his side to before him, a bow appears in the stranger’s hand, so smoothly it looks as if done by magic, and Kenma knows better to know that _it is_.  
  
“Lev, get back.” At the sound of Kenma’s unusually raised, sharp tone, Lev turns to look at Kenma, frowns, opens his mouth and is about to say something - something about the way he’s moving is wrong, stiff, and unnatural and Kenma notices a dreadful minute too late that they’re standing on a magic circle, curses under his breath - until he realises,

 

“Kenma, I can’t move.”  
  
“Wouldn’t if I were you.” The magician - sorcerer? wizard? witch? who the hell knows, certainly not Kenma - has his bow drawn; to any other it’d look like an empty bow, but Kenma sees a cloud of what feels like holy magic, looks like mist gently flowing around the man’s arm to his poised hand, slowly starting to take a shape of an arrow.  
  
“Get back, puddinghead. you don’t know what you’re dealing with.” Kenma notices the way the man’s eyes narrow and harden, the way the teasing lilt drops from his voice and knows this man means business, knows exactly what he’s doing.

  
Kenma pushes Lev back, physically shielding him. A poor, laughable attempt at shielding, when the object of protection is a good head or two taller than him. Still he stands his ground, even as his knees shake and sweat starts to bead on his forehead from staring straight into cold eyes.

 

Eyes that reminds Kenma of things he’d thought been buried somewhere deep, deep in his heart.

 

_(‘Please don’t look at me that way’ Kenma remembers thinking whenever he walked down a street, his desperate pleas gone unheard and stuck behind the lump in his throat as he swallows and tries his best not to run away or cry; there’s only so much a child can take, so much teasing and rock throwing and shoves, so much fear filled whispers and verbal insults tossed his way, and there’s only so much bandages and bandaids can do._

 

_He thought he’d buried all this hurt in the gash he’d never been able to sew shut nor heal, long, long ago.)_

  
“No.”

 

The word feels forced out his mouth - and it probably is.

 

Kenma feels like his windpipe been knotted into a thousand different ways, words sounding close to a weak wheeze - way to play up right when one of your only friends is about to be killed right before your eyes, anxiety.

 

But it stops the man in his careful stride forward, so even while trembling uncontrollably and voice close to cracking Kenma thinks, _‘maybe we’ll have a chance.’_

 

A flicker of exasperation and surprise flashes across the man’s face before the impassive anger jumps back in full force. Exasperation that hints this has happened more than once, that hints that this man has experience, and with experience means danger. Despite the whirling emotions Kenma’s currently forced to deal with, the one he identifies with the most is pure frustration.

 

This was supposed to be a nice, relaxing day at his favourite cafe with an apple pie and a warm cup of tea. Not having a completely one-sided battle with a magic user, of all things. The sheer frustration this thought causes twists his face into a deep scowl, making Lev, despite the awful situation that could be mostly blamed on him, to snort in amusement.

  
“Like i said, pudding head, get back. Spirits can turn to demons, demons can kill. You probably summoned him from some stupid horror ritual you read off the internet.” At this, the man sighs and rolls his eyes, darkly muttering something that not Lev nor Kenma catches under his breath.

 

“Who’s to say this one hasn’t already overstayed and is planning to kill you right where you stand?” Cocking his head to one side, motioning for Kenma to move, the man positions himself, fully pulling the bowstring back. With the arrow aligned to the side of his face, it easily lights up his eye, and Kenma spies what looks like a magic sigil drawn in the golden orb.  
  
“Because he’s been staying with me for years and the only harm he does is making me suffer through his godawful opera singing from midnight till 3 in the morning!” Kenma snaps, face burning from anger and desperation, his lungs burning like he’s just ran a marathon, chest heaving from the sheer effort it took to raise his voice at a stranger when there was a war going on inside his head, because just ten steps away is a holy arrow ready to fire to kill Lev, annoying, endearing Lev, and his heart is racing at ten miles per minute, head pounding from the voices of the dead that will not shut up and anxiety that will not tone down.

 

Kenma clutches his chest, trembling violently as he sucks in a huge lungful of air, curling back into himself when the stranger’s narrowed eyes finally snap open, in shock and bewildered admiration.  
  
“That so?” The man casually lowers his bow - finally, finally, Kenma is this close from fistbumping the air and locking Lev in such a tight hug he’ll probably never let the ghost out of for surviving this ordeal, as embarrassing as it sounds - as his arrow loses its form, thin streaks of glowing white mist wafting about his arm for a moment before it dissipates into the air.

 

“Well, if you’re going to insist on protecting that spirit, there’s virtually nothing I can do to stop you. I don’t really have time to deal with you anyway. My partner’s probably going to throw a fit when he finds out that I left the place without him when he wakes up, when really, all i’m doing is dealing with punks who have no clue what they’re messing around with. Not missing much, is he? I’ll see you during your exorcism or funeral, pudding head.”

 

Lazily giving Kenma a two fingered salute, while whisking the other hand that holds the bow behind his back, Kenma finds the weapon gone by the man turns around to leave.

 

Honestly, Kenma could care less what the man had to say right then. The insults hardly even stung Kenma, he was much more shaken over the events that had just transpired. A magic user, Lev nearly getting exorcised, getting chased, _those eyes -_ Kenma lurched forward, clamping a hand over his mouth, feeling his stomach contents swirl, almost ready to spew out his breakfast. Even Lev’s soft words of concern and worry, arms cradling him, hands smoothing down his back did little to help him calm down.

 

Yet it was such blatant display of magic that sends a chilling spike of fear right through Kenma’s heart. The man is either very stupid or very confident in his abilities, to be so ready to showcase what could be considered a trump card to a stranger so easily. Kenma chooses to believe the former.

 

Tugging on the arm wrapped around his torso, Kenma mumbles, “Let’s go home, Lev.” Right now, all he wanted was to curl up under his duvet and sleep the rest of the afternoon away. His stomach felt settled now, but his mind was more rattled than he’d like to admit.

 

However, Lev seemed to have other plans of his own.

 

“Hey Kenma, you’re feeling better, right?” Lev started, “And you trust me, right?”

 

At the sound of Lev’s im-about-to-do-something-incredibly-stupid tone, Kenma snapped his head up to find Lev staring transfixed at the back of the retreating man’s back. Swallowing hard, Kenma feels his anxiety quickly being replaced by the familiar dread of something completely unworthy of his time about to happen.

 

“Lev, don’t you dare -,”

 

“Trust me, Kenma.” Lev smiles, all breathtaking and innocent, squeezes Kenma’s hand so comfortingly Kenma stupidly lets his guard down for just a moment.

 

Kenma knows he’s signed a deal with the devil the moment his contorted expression relaxes, a silent affirmation to the ghost’s question, the moment Lev’s face breaks into a large, devious grin.  
  
“You really think this is resolved so easily?”

 

On hindsight, Kenma feels like he really should have expected Lev to call out, just for the fun of it, to the man who just tried to kill them.

 

Blissfully unaware by choice of Kenma’s eyes that widen in horror and the million ideas that immediately popped to mind of how he’d send the ghost directly to Hell when they got home, Lev’s eyes glint with calculated mischief when the stranger tilts his head back, smirk stretching across his face.

 

The swirling magic and energy around the stranger’s feet and arm was really, really hard to miss now.

 

“Guess you really want to be sent to heaven -”  
  
“A meal.” Lev chirps, a im-going-to-make-the-worse-decision-in-your-life-Kenma-and-you-can’t-stop-or-kill-me-because-you-love-me-too-much grin on his face.

 

Yeah, Kenma really, really should have expected this.

 

The stranger, funnily enough, just blinks, clearly not expecting the ghost’s proposition.

 

“Sorry, I don’t take ghosts out to dates.”

 

“I can’t eat anyway!” Lev says too cheerfully for someone who is about to ruin another person’s entire day, and possibly, life. Pushing a stockstill Kenma forward, Lev motions to the blond. “Kenma! Take Kenma out for a meal.”

 

Kenma would have killed Lev a second, third, fourth time if he knew how to right then and there. He hopes the glare he’s giving Lev is enough to deliver the message, if not, the steadily growing urge to kill in his eyes is. Lev conveniently avoids looking at Kenma completely, choosing to focus on keeping the grin on his face and eyes trained on the stranger who just tried to kill him for a second time instead.

 

“Kenma’s apple pie is probably sold out by now, and i’m not letting him go home hungry. Treat him to something nice.”

 

The sound that Kenma emits at Lev’s words sound similar to a strangled dying whale’s groan.

 

When the stranger shrugs and agrees with the same ‘im-out-to-ruin-your-life-and-there’s-nothing-you-can-do-about-it’ grin on his face, Kenma kicks Lev as hard as he can in the his shin.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“My name’s Kuroo Tetsurou -,” A brief pause to wink at the waitress who handed them their menus and ice water, “-and i work as an exorcist. A travelling exorcist. I have a partner, but that guy is as owlish as his name suggests. So he’s probably -,” yet another pause, this time to look out the window, “-still asleep, seeing how the sun’s still so high up. What about -,”

 

“Kozume Kenma. Medium. Residential medium.” Kenma curtly interrupted, stiffly opening his menu just to bury his head behind it.

 

“Ah. Charmed.” Even with the menu blocking the view, Kenma knows Kuroo’s smirk has grown. The thought itself irks him.

 

“Unfortunately, i can’t say the same.” Kenma mutters under his breath, sending the other a glare through the menu.

 

Just then, the waitress arrives to take their orders and remove their menus. As Kenma reluctantly hands his pseudo shield over, declining an order, he hears Kuroo order iced tea for the both of them.

 

Kenma knows, he just _knows_ , with that sly grin drawn on Kuroo’s face coupled with side glance Kuroo had thrown to him as he uttered “Two iced teas, please,” that he’d ordered Kenma’s portion just to force the blond to have to stay in his company for longer than need be.

 

Lev restrains Kenma from marching out the door with a firm hold around the waist.

 

“So, you’re a medium?” The asshole stranger - Kuroo, Kuroo Tetsurou. Kenma wondered if the man really sported a black devil’s tail like his name suggested. Probably did. Probably crawled out of hell with it, too  - drawls, resting his chin on the palm of one hand, casually twirling the icecubes of his ice water with the other using the straw provided. “Interesting.”

 

Kenma has been brought - kidnapped, abducted, betrayed by the one friend he thought he could trust - to a nearby family restaurant, by Lev’s own recommendation.

 

It was times like this Kenma wished he knew what his friend was up to; even with the ghost’s constant chatter and physical assurances, Kenma could feel his anxiety slowly spiking to an all time high just by seating opposite the messy haired man.

 

Kenma chooses to stay silent, steadfastly keeping his eyes on his own drink, both hands clutching the glass cup.

 

“Yeah, and he probably knows more about ghosts than you do, especially those around here!” Lev cheerily says, the jab at Kuroo’s initial words of Kenma not knowing what he was doing not going unnoticed.

 

At that, the joy in Kuroo’s smile dimmed a little. Just when Kenma thought ‘This is it, everything’s over, im going to have my head ripped from my body and be vanquished into dust by holy magic because Lev can’t keep his big fat mouth shut”, Lev speaks again.

 

“But, what are you here for Kuroo-san? You said you’re a travelling exorcist, right? Why stop here? Here’s boooooring. Miyagi’s where all the action is at, let me tell you.” Lev loudly exclaimed, jumping from his seat to leap into the air, casually making a spin backwards as he punctuated his speech with wild hand gestures. “Heard they have a new exorcist there competing with the locals. The Shinto priest, to be exact.”  Lev leaned over near Kuroo’s face, faux whispering the last part, and ending it off with an over the top wink.

 

Kenma rolled his eyes. Typical Lev. Still, the normalness of it all, Lev lounging about the air on his stomach like he would on a sofa, legs kicked over one another and arms behind his head, chatting without a care in the world, instinctively made Kenma to sag his shoulders and shake his head fondly.

 

“Miyagi?” Kuroo’s eyes lit up at the mention of the town. Instantly, he sat up, pushing himself forward with his arms crossed and resting on the table.  “Yeah, I know. My disciple there’s filling me in on the happenings. Apparently the Shinto priest’s apprentice or part timer got in a fight with the exorcist or something? _Hilarious_.“

 

“You know people in Miyagi?” Kenma blurted out, thoroughly surprised. Hinata, whom he was suspecting was the “Shinto priest’s apprentice or part timer” as Kuroo called him, never mentioned any of his friends knowing a shady exorcist who looked like he sold organs on a black market as a side job.

 

“Yeah, got an apprentice there. Frowns a whole lot, shock of fluffy beautiful blonde hair that his freckled boyfriend has all the glory of running his hands through every night.” Kuroo clasps his hands together, flutters his eyelashes and sighs like a lovesick highschool girl, obviously imitating said freckled boyfriend. “Tsukki, you’re adorable. Tsukki, you need to remember to eat. Sorry Tsukki, I think im in love with you. Tsukki, Tsukki, Tsukki~” Kuroo singsongs the name over and over, progressively moving closer to Kenma’s face as he did so.

 

A sudden thought to ask Lev to remind him to draw the curtains when they reach home so he can’t see the moon tonight jumps to Kenma’s mind instantaneously.

 

Bursting into boisterous laughter at Kenma’s sickened expression, Kuroo leans back into his seat, grinning madly.

 

“They’re sickeningly sweet, yeah. Know them? Tsukishima Kei and Yamaguchi Tadashi. Kei’s my top disciple, Tadashi’s his medium boyfriend. Not really a medium, he can just sense ghosts and see them, you know? But I think he’s considering getting into the business? It’s complicated as hell over in Miyagi. Whole clusterfuck of mediums and priests and exorcists running ‘round chasing after one another’s asses.”

 

Kenma’s nose crinkles at the imagery while Lev snickers, the hand plastered over his mouth doing nothing to muffle his mirth. Kuroo howls at Kenma’s face, slapping the table for good measure. The medium feels his face colour in indignation.

 

Kuroo really, really irks him.  
  
Thankfully, a timely buzz from his phone saves Kenma from needing to continue the conversation any further. Pulling out his phone from his jacket pocket by routine, Kenma sees it’s Akaashi calling. Kenma’s brows furrow at the strange sight. Akaashi hardly ever called him, he preferred sending texts, what could have - oh, the message from earlier.

 

“Oops, should have cleared it up with Akaashi-san first, huh?” Lev broadcasts Kenma’s inner thoughts, casting a sympathetic glance at the blond who nods with a sinking heart.

 

Hesitantly, Kenma picks up the phone.

 

“Kenma? Kenma, are you there? Answer me, Kenma. Where are you? Kenma? Ken-”

 

“I’m here, Akaashi.” Kenma mumbles, feeling a pang of guilt over causing his friend - mother, there was hardly any difference sometimes - unduly worry and alarm. “I got, uh, mixed up in something. I’ll come over right now. Sorry.” The apology was added as a sheepish afterthought.

 

“Hey, hey, Akaashi-san? You’re there right? Can you prepare some of that incense you got when we go over? It smells good.” Lev clamoured over to Kenma’s side, rowdily yelling into the phone receiver, causing Kenma to flinch at the sudden volume at his ear.

 

“People can’t hear you over the phone Lev, remember?” Kenma muttered darkly, pushing Lev away by his face while ignoring Kuroo’s curious look.

 

“Sorry about the static, it was Lev. He asked for you to prepare some of your incense when we go over.” Kenma explained, playing with the hem of his jacket. “I’ll come over right now.” He repeated, standing up, startling Kuroo.

 

“Leaving already? Just when we were getting warmed up to each other.” Kuroo pushes his bottom lip out in a pout, and Kenma physically recoils.

 

Akaashi’s sigh was heard clearly through the handphone, and Kenma envisioned the man standing on the side of the line, giving a single nod.

 

“Okay. But I expect a full explanation when you get over here, Kenma.”

 

“I'm expecting one too." Kenma shoots Lev a pointed look.  "I'll see you later then. Bye.”

 

Promptly hanging up, Kenma reached over to discreetly grab Lev, who’d moved to sit beside him in order to lean over and openly eavesdrop on the conversation, by the wrist.

 

“We really need to get going. Bye.” Kenma stressed on the ‘really’, hastily dropping a goodbye at the end in case the exorcist tried to get him to stay any longer. If he did, Kenma didn’t think he’d be able to get out of the restaurant without a stretcher, considering how his heart had been racing for the majority of his time with the exorcist. Someone would have needed to dial 119 for cardiac arrest if the conversation had lasted for even a minute longer.

 

The exorcist sees the both off with a lazy wave.

 

“Catch you later, Kozume-san. Try not to mess with anymore ghosts, the next one might just want to tear your pretty face right off.”

 

“Kenma is fine.” Kenma mumbles, hunched over as he throws a glare backwards.

 

“Enjoy your drink and mine, Kuroo-san. And while you’re at it, do me a favour.”

 

Kuroo quirks a questioning eyebrow.

 

“Choke on it.”

  
  
With that, Kenma whisks out the restaurant, Lev’s laughter echoing loudly behind him.

  
  
_“People like that are troublesome.”_ Kenma thinks, rubbing his hands together as he makes his way to Akaashi’s, blowing a weary sigh out of parted lips in time to Lev blowing a loud raspberry in the direction of the restaurant.

  
_“I really don’t want to see him again.”_

 


	2. In which Akaashi Keiji has weird dreams and meets weirder people

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welp finally here after 6 months. more at the end notes!

“Lev, stop laughing.”

“Bu-But, did you see the look on his face?” Lev splutters, lying flat on his back.

“No, because I was too busy trying to get away from the person who nearly exorcised you.” Kenma huffed, burying his hands deeper into his pockets and hunching his back in an attempt to physically curl into himself even more. Trust Lev to come up with such an inane idea. Trusting Lev in itself was always a bad idea.

Sensing the lack of bite in Kenma’s words, Lev snickers, flipping a circle in the air then shoving his upside down face into Kenma’s. Upside down, the look on Lev’s face felt even more Cheshire-like, a thought Kenma wisely decided not to voice aloud lest the ghost got the idea of trying to turn invisible. It shouldn’t be possible, but it was better to be safe than sorry. The idea of waking up in the early morning only to be sent back to eternal sleep at the shock of a sight of a floating grin was not appealing at all.

“Were you worried about me, Kenma?” Lev asks, eyes sparkling as he leaned close enough to brush his nose against Kenma’s affectionately.

Kenma gave Lev an empty look - “of course, idiot” - at his question, ducking beneath the ghost's head and continuing with his shuffle forward. Lev snickers, a little skip in his steps as he walks on air, humming a tune Kenma recognises from late night exclusive opera performances by Lev as a Russian dance.

Their walk to Akaashi’s place is blissfully void of any conversation, allowing Kenma’s mind to wander, unfortunately, back to the bedhead exorcist.

The fact that he and his partner chose to set up camp at Tokyo was an unsettling thought; this area of the city was mostly silent in its ghostly activities. Most spirits were friendly enough, and even the occasional poltergeist or possession could be calmly handled with a nice cup of tea.

The important word was most.

An unwanted memory invaded Kenma’s mind, causing him to flinch and mentally wave it away. The Cat-Neighbour possession was something he had resolutely decided to forget. He shuddered, thinking about the stench it’d caused for months. Ugh. By far his worst job. Dealing with a cat possessed old man who owned about ten canes had not been not a fun time.

Akaashi themself had met with their own fair share of ghosts and spirits. If they started listing the amount of terrible jobs they’d been involved in, Kenma would probably have nightmares for weeks. Being a well known medium came at a hefty price, which in Akaashi’s case during a certain job, was the hearing of his left ear. Which had lead to them hiring Kenma as an assistant against their will. Ghosts were troublesome like that. Not only did they not forgive and forget, they resented and gossiped.

Now not only did Akaashi have somewhat of a bad rep among the underworld residents, Kenma was tasked as a messenger boy to inform ghosts of Akaashi’s arrival to their abode every time before a show. It wasn’t a very difficult job, but it did involve a lot of exercise. Which Kenma resented.

Speaking of Akaashi, Kenma wondered if something had happened that both mediums were unaware of, a displeased frown pulling his lips down. Things could get hairy if that were the case. But then again, Akaashi hadn’t dreamt of anything lately so that might not be the case. Besides, Akaashi had an uncanny sixth sense for the supernatural. Lev liked to call it the “shit is about to hit the fan” sensor.

Perhaps the exorcists were on a harmless visit to Tokyo to see the sights? Pursing his lips, Kenma shook his head and sighed at his elementary deduction. Obviously not, considering how hostile Kuroo-san was to harmless Lev. Though he sure did dress like a tourist, complete with the terrible summer prints his clothes bore.

Kuroo-san was an odd bird, that was for sure.

Deciding to discuss this further with the elder medium would be the right step to take, Kenma hurried his pace, ignoring Lev’s protest and accusation of Kenma trying to shake him off.

Walking the familiar steps up Akaashi’s street, Kenma eventually wound up in front of a house with a wide front yard. Letting himself in the waist high fence and throwing a nod at the aged apple tree tucked neatly into a far corner of the yard, Kenma timidly knocked at the door.

Within seconds, Kenma could hear the pattering of slippered feet heading towards the door. The door creaked open, just enough for Akaashi to slide his body halfway out to welcome the duo.

“Kenma,” Akaashi said, eyes shining with relief, stiffened shoulders slacking. “You’re -”

“Who is it?” A sharp voice came from inside the house. The tightening of Akaashi’s grip around the knob of the door at the voice did not go unnoticed by Kenma nor Lev. The former’s expression froze even more than it could have, while the latter’s quickly turned sour.

“Just Kozume-san, mother.” Akaashi replied tersely, stepping back and pulling the door open wider, motioning for them to enter.

Kenma easily slipped past Akaashi into the house, murmuring a low, “Sorry for the intrusion,” under the watchful gaze of the female elder. He never liked the looks she gave him, cold and unyielding, as if she was mentally taking him apart piece by piece just for interacting with her dear, money making son. Ascending the stairs two at a time, he made sure not to pause or turn back until he was at the very top, chest heaving slightly from his run.

Lev, who liked her even less than Kenma did, took full advantage of his ghostliness, sticking his tongue out at her like an elementary school student and making numerous ugly faces at her as he floated backwards up the stairs to Akaashi’s room after Kenma.

“I’ll bring tea up for Kozume-san.” Akaashi politely said, bowing his head at his mother who merely sniffed in displeasure.

“Suit yourself. Just remember that we have the talk show to attend at five, and we can’t be late. I don’t want our paycheck to be cut due to your tardiness.”

Even from the top of the stairs, Kenma could the way Akaashi's back went rigid at the snippy tone. His eyebrows knitted together at the sound of an apology slipping past Akaashi's lips, not liking the constant attitude Akaashi was forced to put up with. Yet every time Kenma had tried to say something about it, even hinting at it between the lines, Akaashi would simply offer Kenma a strained smile. The look always made Kenma feel like a thousand stones were sinking deep in his belly, and he never knew how to react to it except frown and mutter “You can always move in with me if you want.”, an offer he knows Akaashi will always politely refuse but thank him for. He doesn’t stop offering anyhow.

Quietly entering Akaashi’s room, Kenma gingerly settles down on one of the cushions laid out before a stout table in the middle of the incense scented room. Rolling his shoulders, Kenma sighed. The peace was a welcome change from the noisy streets, noisier ghosts and even noisier and nosier exorcists.

As expected, the peace was shattered by Lev who came noisily tumbling in, brightly announcing, “The lady seems to have gotten more wrinkles! Also her lipstick shade is awful, like baby food puke.”

Now it was Kenma’s turn to pull a face, which Lev gave him a thumbs up for.

Taking a deep whiff of incense, Lev sat crosslegged in the air, a contented smile so wide it nearly cut his face in half. It was endearing as it was creepy, Kenma always thought.

“Now, this is the stuff!” Lev enthusiastically said, drifting towards the window seat where the incense was placed at the foot, near multiple terrariums.

It always impressed Kenma how spotless Akaashi managed to keep his room on a daily basis. Study desk adorned with only books and a single table lamp with not a sheet of paper out of place, bookshelf packed with books of various material neatly arranged in alphabetical order and a made bed, a rare sight in Kenma's own apartment.

Miniature hanging plants hung above the window seat, accompanying the terrariums not far who were well protected from the sun's glare by a thick maroon curtain. Lev stretched like a cat backwards into the multiple plush cushions he’d arranged strategically for maximum comfort at the head of the window seat, sighing happily, a curious sight that Kenma enjoyed every time they came over. It was still hard to believe that certain spirits could still feel sensations, though he’d been living with one for four years already.

A loud clack of the door opening announced Akaashi's entrance. Balancing a tray of two teacups and a teapot with one arm and closing the door with the other, their stiff frame only relaxed when they heard the door click shut behind them.

"Sorry for the wait.” Placing the tray down on the table, Akaashi settled down on the cushion opposite of Kenma, folding their legs and tucking in the loose ends of their skirt beneath them.

“What held you back?" A hint of curiosity tinted Akaashi's voice, slightly amused at the sudden slump of Kenma’s shoulders at the mention of whatever happened before coming.

Kenma huffed out a long, long sigh that lasted for the whole duration of the tea steep, while Lev giggled and snorted the entire time, neither saying anything despite Akaashi’s inquisitive glances. If anything, Kenma seemed even more reluctant to speak while Lev seemed too busy laughing to even form coherent sentences.

By then, even the ever patient Akaashi’s curiosity was roused to the point of them speaking up in impatience. Blowing out a soft exasperated breath, Akaashi simultaneously began filling the cups with tea and repeating his question.

“So what was it?”

"We got picked up by an exorcist who could use magic."

Akaashi's steady hands faltered slightly, but not enough to deter it from it's current job. Their half lidded eyes grew sharp, flicking up to glance at a very sullen Kenma for a moment. My, it’d been a long time since they’d last since seen Kenma this peeved. It was rather amusing to see, in all honesty.

Knowing his friend was likely on the edge from the experience, Akaashi kindly chose not to laugh, but concentrate on the more serious side of the situation instead.

“Exorcist?" Akaashi echoed, putting the teapot down with a soft clink. “Picked up?”

Kenma shrugged helplessly in affirmation, glaring at Lev, who hadn’t stopped laughing.

Not even the rising steam from the tea could hide the glint Akaashi’s eyes suddenly bore.

"Tell me more."

“He had a terrible fashion sense, he mistook Lev for a demon and nearly exorcised him using holy magic before taking me out for a meal.”

“That Kenma never actually got.” Lev chimed in, beaming.

“Troublemakers don’t get a right to talk when the adults are speaking.” Kenma muttered darkly, causing Lev to gasp in faux hurt.

“What do you mean by that! I’m twenty years old! Technically!” Lev retorted, jolting upright and folding his arms across his chest.

“You don’t age once you’ve died so it doesn’t count.” Kenma shot back.

Sensing that this argument would lead to pointless bickering Akaashi really wanted no part in, they hurriedly stepped in to change the subject. Or, well. Brought their attention back to the actual subject.

“So did the exorcist mention anything else?”

Attention drawn back, Kenma gave Lev one last withering glare before answering. “He did mention his name was Kuroo Tetsurou.”

“I see. Oh, and talking about black...Kenma, could you go to the study room down the hall and get me something? I believe there’s a box tied with a black ribbon on the table. Or shelves. I forget. It’s a thank you gift for you from the spirit you helped pass on the other day.”

“Can’t I just pick it up while im leaving?” Kenma grumbled, not really wanting to move from his comfortable position.

“I’d like to be around when you unwrap it. Just in case.”

Something about Akaashi’s tone told Kenma that he should probably leave the room for a while, so he nodded reluctantly and pushed himself up.

“I’ll be right back.”

The moment the soft shuffles of his slippers could no longer be heard, Akaashi turned to face Lev, who wore a wane smile on his face.

“The miasma hasn’t been getting better, has it.”

The statement made Lev chuckle weakly and rub the back of his neck.

“I had a feeling you sent him away for a reason.” Lev puffed out his cheeks, growing unusually sombre. “You could feel it, couldn’t you?” Lev looked at the door, interlacing his hands to rest his chin on. “The miasma around him gets pretty bad some days. Lately, there’s also a lot more spirits following him around, but they’re more irritating than malicious. Thank god for that. Hell, it’s gotten so bad some days even the peach blossom bonsai shortie gave him has trouble purifying all that dark energy.”

“I see.” Pursing their lips, Akaashi grips their cup tighter. “I wish I didn’t have to get him to help me with all these...activities. But there’s really no way I can go myself, and I can’t risk angering spirits again.”

Closing their eyes, Akaashi blew out a frustrated sigh, tilting their head downwards, as if contemplating whether or not to share the next bit of information. Lev watched patiently, legs crossed. If Akaashi had something to tell, they would. They wasn't the type to keep things bottled up if they needed help on that matter after all.

When Akaashi opened their eyes again, downcast and slightly unfocused, Lev felt something lurch in his stomach.

“I had a dream yesterday night.” Akaashi murmured. “There was a great horned owl and a black panther accompanying me. They lead me to a shrine, one that resembled Hinata’s; there was a large peach blossom tree just outside, that’s how I knew. It was suffering. But I have no part in that, I could feel another calming presence nearby and I knew they would help."

Akaashi pauses to draw a breath, eyes fluttering shut once more. “The only thing that worried me are the animals. An owl and a panther...they aren't motifs for anyone I know." They began playing with their fingers, a nervous habit they could never quite kick. “The fact that they were guiding me likely alludes to walking the same paths, quite literally, and us reaching the same destination would mean I would meet them soon.”

"A mysterious pair, and yet they felt safe.” They finished, opening their eyes fully, now clear and serene once more.

“Man, I can never get used to how you can see the future so easily. Always makes me a little jittery.” Lev said, stretching his arms above him. “I really hope you weren’t referring to who Kenma was talking about.”

Akaashi’s eyes snapped wide, taken aback. “You mean that man was - ,“

“One of the people in your dreams? Likely.” Lev grinned, teeth showing. “Owl and panther, right? That guy called his partner an owl, plus the way he was slinking around felt like a no good predator looking for easy prey."

"Takes one to know one, doesn't it?" Akaashi said, an eyebrow raising.

The teasing statement instantly defused the tense atmosphere. Lev spluttered at the unexpected taunt, while Akaashi picked up the lukewarm tea to have a sip.

“Akaashi! Was that a compliment! Did you just compliment me!”

"But, if that's really them…," Akaashi thought, the gears in their mind spinning rapidly, conveniently ignoring an overly excited Lev tugging on his sleeve and a very confused Kenma standing by the door to lift his cup of tea to have a sip. "Perhaps…."

* * *

 

 

When Kuroo returned to his apartment, the sight of a very unhappy and very hungry Bokuto Kotarou greeted him, sulking on the couch and flipping through tv channels.

"Hey best bud, anything good on?" Kuroo asked, kicking the door closed and swiping the lock closed in one swift motion. Covering the distance between the door and the couch in five quick strides, he plopped down next to Bokuto, tossing the keys on the coffee table.

"Yeah, there's this show about a heartless friend who leaves his partner in his apartment to starve to death while he explored the great wonders outside. It's really touching, I think you'll like it." Bokuto muttered passively, pulling his knees closer to his chest.

Kuroo snorted, knocking against Bokuto's side apologetically. "Sorry for going out alone while you were still asleep. I was just going to recce the place for a bit, see how much things have changed while we were gone, y’know? Then one thing led to another and..." He trailed off, scratching the back of his head. "Well, I met a medium. And his ghost sidekick. Or possessor. And I got dumped."

Bokuto's head snapped right to look at Kuroo, his eyes wide and mouth open. The childlike gleam in his eyes shone and Kuroo grinned at the sight. Could always count on the mention of a fun job to get his best buddy out of a depressive episode.

"You got dumped?"

Or maybe not.

Kuroo “currently eating all his words and planning on how to murder his best friend’” Tetsurou smiled stiffly and begun to pinch Bokuto’s cheek, hard.

“All that interesting stuff about possession and that’s the only thing you choose to repeat. Seriously?”

Whining, Bokuto leaned away from Kuroo, attempting to escape, but Kuroo’s grip was alike steel. The further Bokuto leaned, the harder Kuroo pinched.

“Ayyymmm sooowweee..!! Ayymm juwst wowwied aboaut yeour luueove leefe!” Bokuto whimpered, swatting at Kuroo’s hand.

“Worry about your own first, idiot.” Kuroo snapped, releasing his hold on Bokuto’s cheek. “Honestly, you’ve got worse luck at love than i have. Have you forgotten the whole cashier incident already?”

Bokuto snorted, waving a hand to dismiss Kuroo.  

“I don’t focus on past mistakes, only tomorrow’s!” Bokuto acclaimed, putting his fists on his hips for proud emphasis.

Looking at Bokuto for a moment, Kuroo shrugged and leaned back into the couch.

“Fair enough, in some weird philosophical sense.”

Giving Kuroo a ear splitting grin, Bokuto threw an arm around Kuroo, leaning in close.

“Sooooo, what was that about a possession?”

Reminded of the earlier encounter, Kuroo immediately sported a grin mirroring Bokuto’s. Leaning towards Bokuto, Kuroo could practically feel his grin grow at the memory.

"Remember how I said I met a medium? He had this ghost hanging all over him. He says it’s not a possession, and it most likely isn’t, but psh. Wanna go find them and bust a ghost anyway?"

"Hell yeah!" Bokuto jumped up, the tv remote clattering to the floor noisily. Practically dashing to his room, he popped his head, saying "Just let me change into ghost busting gear first!" before slamming the door shut.

"Leave the helmet this time! I want to go sightseeing too!" Kuroo shouted above the ruckus Bokuto was making as he changed. Closet doors clattering, hangers thrown across the room, loud curses from stubbing his toe...Kuroo could envision Bokuto changing due to all the noises he was making.

Yet as he picked up the remote from the floor to switch off the television, Kuroo couldn’t deny that the familiarity of it all was what made this faucet-leaking dump feel like home. Though, the dump part was really their combined fault. Whose turn was it to take out the trash again?

Eventually Bokuto emerged, thankfully with no helmet to be seen. As flashy and cool his bike helmet splashed in three different neon colours was, it wasn’t exactly suited for sightseeing. But exorcism, oh ho, boy was it useful. As a brightly coloured distraction while running away as fast as their legs could take them whenever things went south, that is.

Grabbing a very startled Kuroo’s arm, Bokuto undid the lock and swung the door wide open, slamming it into the wall.

“Let’s go!” He hooted, excitedly hopping in place while Kuroo locked the door.

“Yeah, let’s go.” Kuroo shot Bokuto a wide smile, jogging to keep up with his friend who was already leaping towards the lift, looking every bit a shaken up can of soda, unable to stay still.

Once they had descended the lift and exited the complex, Bokuto came to a sudden and very dawning realisation.

“Bro. Where do we go to find them anyway?” Bokuto turned around to face Kuroo, eyes wide and head tilted to one side.

“Oh.”

Now that, was a problem Kuroo hadn’t thought of. He’d figured that maybe they could just walk in the general direction of where Kenma had headed off from the family restaurant, but that wouldn’t sustain Bokuto’s interest for long. Neither would it sustain his, to be honest. There was a possibility that Kenma went in that direction to throw him off anyway.

“Well,” Kuroo said eloquently. “I was actually thinking maybe we could go get some food first?”

Kuroo was most definitely not actually thinking of eating first, but how to escape the sticky situation he’d caught himself in and both Bokuto and he knew that. But Bokuto decided that his growling stomach was of higher priority than making fun of Kuroo right now, so, as tempting as it was to poke fun at Kuroo, he shelved the idea for now, promising to come back to it later.

“Yeaaaah, sure.” Bokuto drawled, throwing Kuroo a knowing grin. “Sure.”

Rolling his eyes, Kuroo shoulder bumped Bokuto again.

“Get whatever you want, it’s my treat. For leaving you alone this morning.”

“Really?! Then I want yakiniku! And apple juice! A lot of it! Then curry rice! Oooh but omelette rice would be good too...I know! I want as much food as you can buy right now! And ice cream.”

“...I hope you get a stomachache for this, you asshole.”

\-------------

A family restaurant and an empty wallet later, with Kuroo supporting Bokuto, they staggered to a playground nearby. Collapsing on a bench, both let out a loud groan.

Bokuto bent over, clutching his stomach, moaning , "I ate too much. im going to die and it's going to be because of a stomach explosion from being too full. I'm too young to die like this."

Laughing heartily, Kuroo slapped Bokuto's back. "You only have yourself to blame, bro. I told you eating so much was a bad idea."

Letting out another pitiful groan, Bokuto would have laughed along if he didn't think he was going to throw up.

In the horizon, the sun was setting, bathing the entire area in orange and red. School children that filled the area slowly milled out unwillingly, either being called home or rushing back for fear of missing dinner and getting scolded, with see you laters and goodbyes being yelled into the sunset.

Eventually, the playground had no one left but the two of them, the equipment still creaking from recent use and the strong wind.

Suddenly, Bokuto broke the silence with an earth shattering gasp.

"The swings are empty." He announced, slowly turning to look at Kuroo. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, bro?"

Kuroo sank further into the bench, looking up at the sky. "Bokuto, bro, no, you’re going to throw up and I don’t - ,"

"A competition! On who can swing the highest!" Bokuto ignores Kuroo's groan, standing up with one hand on his hip and the other gallantly pointing at the swings. Puffing his chest out, he shoots Kuroo a sly smirk. "Of course, you can not participate, if you're scared of losing to the Number One Champion of swing swinging."

"Oho? Did you say scared?" Kuroo pushed himself up with both hands on his knees. Knitting his fingers together and pulling them towards the sky, he cocks his head to meet Bokuto's bright eyed look with one of his own. "Just keep in mind you asked for it. Don't come crying to me when I win or when you start puking. Loser has to treat the winner to breakfast tomorrow!"

Launching forward, Kuroo dashed towards the swings, clamouring into the right one with breathy laughter. He kicked off the swing just as Bokuto reached, the look of absolute betrayal scrawled all over his face.

"You cheater!" Bokuto yelped, hopping onto the swing beside. With a grunt, he pushed off, screeching with joy at the forward swing.

"Anything for free food!" Kuroo gleefully said, nearly tripping the ground while tucking his long legs in as he swung backwards.

Unbridled laughter and witty jabs were the only things heard for hours in the playground. From the time the sun retired fully for the day and the moon came out to take it’s place, the creaking of the swings hardly lost it’s rhythm. Kuroo couldn't remember the last time he had this much fun; being a travelling exorcist was no easy feat, and mostly ended with injuries and sores that lasted for days, weeks. Sleeping, walking and working was a constant rotation, and much more tiring than it sounded.

It felt good to be able to return to home base, to rest and have fun with his best friend once more, to finally be able to breathe and not have a job weighing on his mind.

It almost reminded him of the carefree days back when they were still in school and the only thing that mattered was scoring well on exams and hitting a perfect spike past three blockers. Kuroo's lips twisted into a crooked smile, wondering how ironic was it that he wanted to go back to one of the most boring times of his life just to escape adult responsibilities and spirit hauntings.

Idly swinging back and forth, consumed in his own thoughts, he barely noticed Bokuto speaking until Bokuto knocked his swing into his. Just as Kuroo was wrestling whether to praise Bokuto for his borderline dangerous stunt or yell at him for trying to throw off his momentum to win, he noticed the vaguely serious look in Bokuto’s golden eyes.

"You feeling that energy too?"

Now he did. Oh boy, he sure did. That soft, pressuring aura of another being that commanded attention - definitely not one of an average human. Kuroo licked his lips. Definitely belonging to one with magic running through their veins.

"I'd like to believe it’s puddinghead from before, but he doesn't have such an oppressing energy.”

Strangely, the thought of not being able to see the introverted medium made Kuroo frown.

“Ah well,” he voiced aloud, struggling to keep disappointment from leaking into his voice. “It’s too bad, but either way, we’re going to have fun.”

 

* * *

 

At the end of the talk show, Akaashi hurriedly made an excuse to leave, promises of returning early home he did not intend to keep following his wake.

Originally, they’d planned on asking lingering spirits if they had seen the men they were searching for, but looking at the state of how frazzled tree spirits seemed to grow in numbers towards a certain direction, Akaashi was willing to be their entire fortune that the troublemaker was the exact person they were searching for.

Honestly, it wasn’t as if he was trying to conceal his presence in the first place. And it wasn’t even just a “he”. It was a “they”.

“So there’s two of them? Him and his partner then?” Akaashi wondered, pressing his lips in a thin line.   

The area was flooding with magical energy, dancing across concrete pavements and wrapping around lampposts. It felt cold and territorial, enough to drop the temperature around a good few degrees. A shiver ran through their body and Akaashi swallowed, pulling their shawl tighter around them.

They didn’t enjoy confrontations at all, not with ghosts, and least of all with magic users. Not only was it terribly troublesome, the magic they could perform was limited to simple purifications and sleep spells; anything else was beyond their expertise and capabilities. If forced to fight, they would no doubt lose. Very pathetically, at that. To think that they’d have to face two people with such strong auras made the oily feeling in the pit of their stomach grow.

Walking down the road, Akaashi allowed themself to be pulled by the aura of the magic users, slightly put off by how their steps were the only one echoing on the road.

“It’s like walking through a ghost town,” Akaashi thought, mentally wincing at the pun. Lev would be proud. At least ghosts of every kind were keeping their distance, too wary of the menacing aura to get close, so there was no need to worry of a surprise ambush.

True enough, by following the trail of increasing magic, Akaashi found himself in a children's playground with all but two rowdy grown men making a disturbance to the neighbourhood on the swings. Soft swirls of energy surrounded the duo swinging back and forth,  making Akaashi unconsciously grip his shawl tighter.

Adapting a slow but confident stride towards the swings, Akaashi inadvertently caught the eye of the shaggy black haired man on the swing, causing them to pause in their steps. The look he gave them was clear that he’d sensed their aura long ago, and had been expecting their arrival.

“How troublesome.” Akaashi thought, blowing a stream of air out from barely parted lips. Though they weren’t the best at concealing their own aura, they had still hoped to have the element of surprise on their side.

"Oh my, looks like we have an audience."

Jumping off the swing with a daring leap, the lanky male shoved his hands into his pants pockets, jogging forward from momentum, before stopping right in front of Akaashi.

"Hey hey hey! Kuroo! You can't just back out of a competition like that when I'm winning!" His companion yelled from the other swing, jumping off the swing in mid air after, landing a little ways behind the black haired male with a heavy pound.

Surprisingly, the sheer annoyance Akaashi’s sixth sense was screaming the two were going to cause was what nearly overwhelmed the petite man instead of their combined auras. But they ground their teeth and swallowed back the need to take a step back, firmly standing their ground.

"This is for Kenma." That one sentence that kept repeating inside their head was quite possibly the only thing keeping Akaashi standing there right now.

Turning towards the black haired man, they asked, "Are you Kuroo Tetsurou?"

The man gave a nod, tilting his head to one side.

"That's me."

“And your partner?” Akaashi turned his head towards Kuroo’s right, glancing back at Kuroo for affirmation.

“That’s him. What’s up?” Though sounding casual, Kuroo’s words were measured, and his posture defensive.

Hardly the same could be said the same for his partner though, who seemed more focused on openly staring at Akaashi until they felt the need to turn away, than actually preparing for possible combat.

Taking a deep breath, Akaashi looked straight into Kuroo’s eyes and spoke.

**  
**"I would like to ask the both of you for a favour."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> four things:  
> 1) im so sorry this took 6months to update, wtf me. i kinda lost direction with this fic for a while, and seriously considered revamping it into a mega oneshot for a period of time(obvs i didnt but yea)  
> 2) i have no idea how to write multichaps since this is my first so ill be experimenting tons and if writing style/paragraphing/chaptering turns wonky dis is y   
> 3) thank you so so so so much if you reviewed in the previous chapter !! it meant a lot and was a big part of why i continued this fic even tho it took me 6months to do so u/v/u   
> 4) thank you for reading thus far!! first few chapters may be slightly dry and stale but i hope you liked them nonetheless! ill try my best to update constantly, or at least not every 6months haha;;


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